3
UJohane UMbhaphathizi Ulungisa Indlela
1 Ngomnyaka wetshumi lanhlanu wokubusa kukaThibheriyasi Khesari ngesikhathi uPhontiyasi Philathu engumbusi eJudiya, uHerodi engumbusi eGalile, umfowabo uFiliphu engumbusi wase-Ithuriya leThrakhonithi, njalo loLisaniya engumbusi wase-Abhilene 2 ngesikhathi leso u-Anasi loKhayifasi bengabaphristi abakhulu, kwafika ilizwi likaNkulunkulu kuJohane indodana kaZakhariya esenkangala. 3 Wawuhamba wonke umango waseJodani, etshumayela ubhaphathizo lokuphenduka ukuze izono zithethelelwe. 4 Njengoba kulotshiwe encwadini yamazwi ka-Isaya umphrofethi:
“Ilizwi lalowo omemezayo enkangala,
‘Lungisani indlela kaThixo,
yenzani indlela zakhe ziqonde.
5 Zonke izigodi zizagcwaliswa,
izintaba zonke lamaqaqa kuzakwehliselwa phansi.
Izindlela zonke ezimazombe zizaqonda,
izindlela ezimakhilikithi zizakuba butshelezi.
6 Abantu bonke bazayibona insindiso kaNkulunkulu.’*”
7 UJohane wathi emaxukwini abantu ababuya ukuzobhaphathizwa nguye, “Lina nzalo yezinyoka! Lilimukiswe ngubani ukuthi libalekele ulaka oluzayo na? 8 Thelani izithelo ezihambelana lokuphenduka. Njalo lingaqali ukuzitshela ukuthi, ‘Silo-Abhrahama ongubaba wethu.’ Ngoba ngilitshela ukuthi kuwonala amatshe uNkulunkulu angamenzela u-Abhrahama abantwana. 9 Ihloka selivele selisezimpandeni zezihlahla, njalo zonke izihlahla ezingatheli izithelo ezilungileyo zizaganyulwa, ziphoselwe emlilweni.”
10 Abantu bambuza bathi, “Pho kumele senzeni?”
11 UJohane waphendula wathi, “Leyondoda elamajazi amabili kayimuphe ongelalo elinye lalowo olokudla kenze njalo.”
12 Labathelisi labo beza ukuzabhaphathizwa. Babuza bathi, “Mfundisi, kumele senzeni?”
13 Wabatshela wathi, “Lingathelisi ledlulise okufunekayo.”
14 Abanye abebutho bambuza bathi, “Thina-ke senzeni?”
Waphendula wathi, “Lingancindezeli ukuthi liphiwe imali njalo lingabeki muntu umlandu wamanga njalo lisuthiseke ngomholo wenu.”
15 Abantu babehlezi belindele njalo bonke babezibuza ezinhliziyweni zabo ingabe uJohane wayenguye yini uKhristu. 16 UJohane wabaphendula bonke wathi, “Mina ngilibhaphathiza ngamanzi. Kodwa yena olamandla kulami uyeza, akungilingananga ukuthukulula imichilo yamanyathela akhe. Uzalibhaphathiza ngoMoya oNgcwele langomlilo. 17 Isitsha sakhe sokwela sisesandleni sakhe ukuba athanyele isiza sakhe njalo abuthele amabele akhe esiphaleni, kodwa uzatshisa amakhoba ngomlilo ongacitshekiyo.” 18 Waphinda walaya abantu ngamanye amazwi amanengi njalo watshumayela kubo ivangeli.
19 Kodwa kwathi uJohane esekhuze uHerodi umbusi ngenxa kaHerodiyasi, umkamfowabo, langezinye izinto ezimbi ayezenzile, 20 uHerodi wakuhlanganisa lokhu konke: Wamvalela uJohane entolongweni.
Ukubhaphathizwa KukaJesu Lembali Yosendo Lwakhe
21 Kwathi bonke abantu bebhaphathizwa, loJesu laye wabhaphathizwa. Wathi ekhuleka izulu lavuleka 22 uMoya oNgcwele wehlela kuye elesimo sejuba. Kweza ilizwi livela ezulwini lathi: “Wena uyiNdodana yami engiyithandayo; ngiyathokoza kakhulu ngawe.”
23 UJesu wayeseleminyaka engaba ngamatshumi amathathu eqalisa umsebenzi wakhe wokutshumayela. Kwakukhunjulwa ukuthi uyindodana kaJosefa,
indodana kaHeli, 24 indodana kaMathathi,
indodana kaLevi, indodana kaMeliki,
indodana kaJanayi, indodana kaJosefa,
25 indodana kaMathathiyasi, indodana ka-Amosi,
indodana kaNahumi, indodana ka-Esili,
indodana kaNagayi, 26 indodana kaMahathi,
indodana kaMathathiyasi, indodana kaSemeyini,
indodana kaJoseki, indodana kaJoda,
27 indodana kaJohanani, indodana kaResa,
indodana kaZerubhabheli, indodana kaSheyalithiyeli,
indodana kaNeri, 28 indodana kaMeliki,
indodana ka-Adi, indodana kaKhosamu,
indodana ka-Elimadami, indodana ka-Eri,
29 indodana kaJoshuwa, indodana ka-Eliyezeri,
indodana kaJorimu, indodana kaMathathi,
indodana kaLevi, 30 indodana kaSimiyoni,
indodana kaJuda, indodana kaJosefa,
indodana kaJonami, indodana ka-Eliyakhimu,
31 indodana kaMeleya, indodana kaMena,
indodana kaMathatha, indodana kaNathani,
indodana kaDavida, 32 indodana kaJese,
indodana ka-Obhedi, indodana kaBhowazi,
indodana kaSalimoni, indodana kaNashoni,
33 indodana ka-Aminadabi, indodana kaRamu,
indodana kaHezironi, indodana kaPherezi,
indodana kaJuda, 34 indodana kaJakhobe,
indodana ka-Isaka, indodana ka-Abhrahama,
indodana kaThera, indodana kaNahori,
35 indodana kaSerugi, indodana kaRewu,
indodana kaPhelegi, indodana ka-Ebha,
indodana kaShela, 36 indodana kaKhayinani,
indodana ka-Ariphazadi, indodana kaShemu,
indodana kaNowa, indodana kaLameki,
37 indodana kaMethusela, indodana ka-Enoki,
indodana kaJaredi, indodana kaMahalaleli,
indodana kaKhenani, 38 indodana ka-Enoshi,
indodana kaSethi, indodana ka-Adamu,
indodana kaNkulunkulu.
* 3:6 U-Isaya 40.3-5